Back in Action

I know it's been a while since my last post, but it's because nothing new has really happened.

I have been slowly improving range of motion, and pain has been getting better and better.  I've been up and walking around quite a bit, which feels good for a while, but does eventually catch up to me and make me a little sore.  Such things as the Des Moines farmer's market, shopping, etc. are fun and possible, but I can't make them all-day occurences.  That being said, rehab is going very well.  Pool therapy is amazing, and 10 times better than land therapy!  If anyone has this surgery, do everything you can to get pool therapy...seriously.

On a different note, I completed my first WOD yesterday...with weight!  It wasn't anything heavy, or spectacular, but it was a huge boost to my confidence and psyche knowing that I am only about a month out from surgery, and I'm already able to move some weight, and that my conditioning hasn't completely deteriorated.

I've been focusing on simple movements that don't put any strain on the hip flexors, so a lot of pushups, pullups, crunches and airdyne work has been the extent of my training...until yesterday.  Here's what I did:

For time:

21-15-9

45 lb. dumbbell snatch (alternating arms)
Air squats
70 lb seated machine row
Crunches with 10 lb. med ball

Time:  7:35

Doesn't seem too fast, and it wasn't, but it felt REALLY good, which is enough for me at this point.  I was also able to do it all unbroken.  I was afraid of the snatches going in, but I was able to use enough posterior chain and legs to keep it from really pulling on my hip, as my hip flexor is still a little irritated.

All in all, the workout was a success, and it really helped me believe that I will be healed up eventually, and that I'm doing all of the right things to get there.

Bad news is that surgery for my right hip is scheduled for August 28.  That will be rough, considering my left hip won't even be close to 100%.  It will definitely make rehab more challenging, but hey, I'm up for it.

I think the worst part is that:

A. Snowboarding this year may not be possible
B. My cousin's wedding is on September 7th, and I will still be on crutches (and potentially narcotics), so that will suck.  Not that I could dance anyway (and not just because of my left hip), but still, weddings are for booze and dancing (and the marriage of course), and I will be 0 for 2.

Until next time!

-D

2-Week Milestone

I am now officially 2 weeks and 2 days post-op, and I honestly can't believe how good I feel.  I had my 2-week check-up with Doc on Wednesday, July 3, and it went extremely well.  I am finally off crutches (only using them if I get sore/tired), got the stitches removed, got the OK to get in the pool, and got rid of those nasty compression stockings that make me look like a 75 year-old diabetic.  Needless to say, Wednesday was a good day.

Now that I am back to walking, I still have to take it pretty slow.  My quads/hams haven't been used much in 2 weeks, so they feel super weak, and it takes awhile for them to get warmed up and to feel good walking.  There is also a little bit of pain in the anterior hip region if I take a long stride with my good leg, which stretches out that area a little more than I would like at this point.  So I am just making sure to take small strides, working my muscles back to normal.

I was talking to my wife yesterday, and it honestly feels like it's been a month (at least) since my surgery...can't believe how good I feel for being 16 days out.  I'm even getting back to some weight training.  I'm doing upper-body only obviously, and I am limited to machines (which I have always hated...I am now "That Guy" that just does upper-body stuff on machines...it sucks).

At least life is beginning to feel normal again.

Hope you had a good 4th of July!  The wife and I are headed to Des Moines this weekend to hang out with some college friends and finish off a keg that we had left over from our wedding...good times!

Cheers!

-Derek

Progress

Progress is something that we need in our everyday lives...it is a necessecity to keep us moving forward and pressing on.

This week has been very positive so far, and I feel that my hip is getting better each and every day. I have been going to Physical Therapy now, and that has been amazing (although slightly painful at the time).

The main test to diagnose FAI is when the leg is bent up to 90 degrees (think sitting in a chair) and then internally rotated, so the knee goes in towards the midline, and the foot goes out and away from the body.  Before the surgery, my left leg would rotate internally only a few degrees, and was painful (this is still currently the state of my right leg).  Already, not even 2 weeks post-op, I have a LOT more range of motion in my left hip, even without much pain.  This is a huge motivator for me, and reinforces that I made the right decision in going forward with this procedure.  I love to snowboard and wakeboard, and this increase in internal rotation will be huge when it comes to those sports.

I also feel that I could walk without crutches...not only because they suck (which they definitely do), but because when I hobble around without them and put some weight on the left leg, it feels great.  Still slightly stiff and weak-feeling, but I haven't walked on it for 2 weeks, so that's kind of expected.

Anyways, I go back to the surgeon tomorrow to get the stitches out and hopefully discuss a timetable for recovery, as well as plan the surgery for my right hip....should be a productive appointment.  Also, looking forward to the holiday and celebrating with some friends and a left-over keg from my wedding! (not taking pain pills anymore...fyi).

Cheers!

-D